bleachfanfictionfandomcom-20200223-history
Sōsaku Yawarakai/Former Sōsaku
) |birthday = Unknown |age = Unknown |gender = Male |height = 6'0" |weight = 144 lbs |eyes = Hazel |hair = Azure |blood type = B+ |affiliation = Jūsanseiza |previous affiliation = |occupation = Criminal |previous occupation = |team = Jūsanseiza |previous team = Eijiru |partner = None |previous partner = Unknown |base of operations = |marital status = Single |relatives = Mono no Aware (Sister) |education = Shinō Academy |status = Active |shikai = N/A |bankai = N/A |signature skill = Danwaza }} Sōsaku Yawarakai (柔らかい創作, Yawarakai Sousaku; lit. "compassionate creation") is a man of many mysteries. Above all, he is a man that once was many more things. Once a , now a traitor. Once a sound man, now more inscrutable than the ways of the universe. Once a , now a... What is to say? Sōsaku is a singular being, and should that be an untruth the world is in a whole lot of trouble. Sōsaku's allegiance is more ethereal than the fluttering of the wind, although both the Jūsanseiza and Eijiru are under the impression Sōsaku's blade is theirs. Eijiru had to find it out the hard way, when Sōsaku painted their walls red with their own blood. Appearance Appearances can be deceiving. In Sōsaku's case, they are. No matter how much his azure hair remembers the luster skies, no matter what sweet aroma radiates from his skin, Sōsaku's insides are dark and rotten. The curves on his body are sharp and rough, cheekbones and shoulder blades clearly scintillating through the whiteness of his complexion. But what is always there, nigh ne'er ceasing, is the grin. That awful, undulating, self-assured smile resting around his lips, settling Sōsaku's position at the top of the food chain. Whenever that smile, that unnerving curl in the lips drops, it reveals the monster beneath. In all of its cruelty, in all of its perfect monstrosity. Other, more material veils and masks are donned to hide the physical secrets. But not just any fabric can cover up these blackened enigmas. The finest of silk, hand-woven and tampered with the finest of shibori techniques are used to produce Sōsaku's garbs. A loose, silver-lined, blue haori is his favorite piece, and Sōsaku's body is scarcely seen not attuned to it. In all other cases, clothes are worn and diversified freely but always with the utmost of style, yet still in a way it seems full of nonchalance and looks uncaring. Sōsaku's motions are fluid, void of doubt, and never not in a sense of superiority. His stride is confident and awe-inspiring, something to look back to when you pass by. In even the tiniest of his movements Sōsaku is completely assured, and no surprise, no change of events, no sudden confession can throw him of that pedestal. Maybe the strangest thing of all is Sōsaku's youthfulness or appearance doesn't regress as times passes. His past self even resembled an elder version of his current self. Personality Perhaps the most intriguing and sickening about Sōsaku is his personality. Although Sōsaku's mental state has been questioned by practically everyone who has ever encountered him, Sōsaku himself seems to be completely conscious of his drastic actions and insane statements, proved by his statements preceding the Red Eclipse. Although he prefers to be his "crazy, chaotic self", Sōsaku has shown to be able to alter his complete personality in a pinch, standing in front of opponents as a harmless little soul, a spoiled brat or any other person you can think off if it serves his cause or amusement. It seems the roots of Sōsaku's apparent insanity lie within his childhood. Although his narrations of the story vary, he commonly describes "a man" (surmised to be his father) who did everything in his power to gain a position within the , only to be back-stabbed by a robber the day of his inauguration. Having behold the horror from nothing but a few feet away because he had been running ahead, Sōsaku did not break down, became depressed or got lost in anger like most would. Instead, his sense of reason was thrown out of the window, transforming his persona into a surefooted absurdist. Sōsaku still desired to become a captain as well, a homage to his father, but only because it sounded like "fun". A menacing grin became his trademark expression from that time on, making even those closest to him uncomfortable when around. He no longer judged events through codes of good and evil, rules or taboos, only doing or not doing things when he felt like it. This was no care-free attitude, however, but a thirst for epic chaos out of pure insanity. He also showed great preference to an anarchistic civilization, actually rather discarding any kind of authority at all and bade in the ensuing chaos. During his captain days, he purposely gave up the warmhearted attitude he had utilized to attain said position, resorting again to that everlasting, chilling grin of his and isolating his division from the rest of , eventually even sealing the division barracks from inside out. He ruled with no iron fist, however, and never raised his voice, but only gave suggestions which could possibly lead to dreadful endings when not operated correctly. Events transcribed in AW - Scream suggest he performed horrific experiments and tests on the members of his division, sprouting many abominations upon the victims' release. He could speak of the worst things, such as murder, rape and coup d'état plans during casual meetings without ever showing any sense of rightfulness, as if he were merely proposing to go out for tea. The point of his absolute downfall was still the Red Eclipse where he, after years of insulation, slaughtered every single member of the without reason or cause, before proceeding to devastate a whole District. When the guards found him where he had been waiting for him, the only explanation he could give was that he was "bored and craving for some fun". After his miraculous escape, Sōsaku returned to the Rukongai and took over the local crime within days, his composure having been changed more to that of a moral terrorist. He started to blow up civilian-packed buildings, hospitals, abduct members and torture them, only to "test" Soul Society and teach them a "lesson" in moral values. He expressed a strong dislike for all the codes and values that they held, both the written and unstated ones, generally because he considered them all futile. Sōsaku explains that the only true fairness lies within chaos, and not within organization and agreements, as only in a primordial, pre-cultural scenario everyone is truly equal. The chaos Sōsaku creates is incomprehensible to the authorities, and throwing up the precious society they sought to perfect over the uncountable number of years they existed. Sōsaku's self-confidence is indestructible, no plan or accusing could ever throw him off his personality, and he will either find it interesting, pathetic or amusing. It seems Sōsaku doesn't feel the need to socialize and bond with other people, let alone trust them. He treats his subordinates as dispensable tools, without any kind of respect or honor and takes it to such levels that he as no qualms killing them anytime without any reason, even if they have just successfully carried out their mission. The only "partner" he has ever shown any satisfaction about is Saeyuku, enjoying his incapability to speak by incessantly monologuing to him. Sōsaku is very fond of sarcastic remarks and cynicism within his conversations, enjoying to talk down his opponent and breaking them mentally. But, after all, pinpointing Sōsaku's exact personality is like defining the concept art. Everyone knows what art is, although there are several cases were examples are incomprehensible and doubtful, yet it is incredibly hard, if not impossible, to place a loophole-less definition on it that answers to all examples given and that once will be given. One certainty, however, can be stated without the slightest doubt: no one understands Sōsaku. It is even questionable if he does it himself. If anything, Sōsaku's individuality is like a river, never being the same at two separate moments. History *''The Falcon and the Falconer'' *''Who Has Who Locked'' *''Bear Your Hell'' *''Blood of the World'' *''Against Conscience'' *''In Fearing One'' Synopsis *'I Am Truth' *'Ashaming Serenity' Three Gods Arc *'Theomachy' Equipment Twin Katana: Since recently, Sōsaku has been seen carrying a set of identical katana. He names these Tamashī (魂, cloud-soul) and Haku (魄, white soul). Respectively, they are colored black and a crystal-like green, and possess a sharpness that surpasses most zanpakutō by far, to the point that they cut cut through Iwanaga Yamatsumi's garment of restraint, a feat few others have ever claimed to do. However, since they are then replaced by ethereal blades, it seems they found their end completing that task. Reiryoku-Reishi Converters: A special kind of nanobots Sōsaku developed who consume spiritual energy and release it again as reishi particles. By implanting these within his own body, Sōsaku can attain a form of high-speed regeneration by sacrificing a portion of his spiritual power. It is speculated that he regained his arm through this process after his fight with Kenshin Yagami. The take-over of his energy network by Hua didn't seem to impose this ability at all. On the contrary, the process was sped up and multiplied at infinitum, granting Sōsaku a permanent and near instant form of . Hyōchō (剽蝶, Menacing Butterfly); Black butterflies perfectly resembling the traditional messenger carriers utilized by Soul Society. From time to time, Sōsaku is known to spread them within a harmless group of butterflies, the only difference being Hyōchō violently explode when a message is tried to be extracted from them. It seems he extracted their basic make-up from Saeyuku's genes before he killed him. Inventions Konsōhito (魂葬人, one who buries souls); an ongoing project operated solely by Sōsaku, designed to control the influx of s from the to the afterlife. Its vitality is illustrated by the sheer fact that Sōsaku was willing to massacre his entire network of criminal control just to ensure its secrecy. Powers & Abilities Transcendental Spiritual Power: Through various experiments, failures and an uncanny concurrence of events, Sōsaku was able to create a new form of metaphysical energy, referred to by the term Hua. As soon as it was born, Hua commenced to aggressively consume all of Sōsaku's spiritual energy, filling up their original veins in the process. As such, Sōsaku no longer possesses "true" spiritual energy, but rather an ascended form from which it is actually unsure if it can still be addressed with a spiritual terminology. Following Hua's inherit traits, Sōsaku's offensive and defensive capabilities have increased immensely following this procedure. Not only that, but any time he faces a spiritual attack, he can simply let out the most minute of Hua to digest the spiritual particles and add them to his energy pool, effectively rendering him nigh unaffected by any foreseen spiritual attack. *'Spiritual Breakdown:' With a mere touch, Sōsaku can send out ripples around the point of contact, distorting all spiritual objects it waves across. The bonds that hold the separate particles of the surroundings together are annihilated, causing every single substance, sentient or not, to scatter into fleeting spiritual particles. Not long after the technique, these particles are consumed and converted into additional Hua energy. *'Energy Absorption & Conversion:' Hua's capabilities stretch out beyond merely spiritual energy. Any kind of energy can be overwhelmed by its grasp and transformed into a brethren. Space/Time Manipulation: For a long time, it was a mystery how Sōsaku was able to attend nearly all significant happenings in history - and even further than that - without actually being thousands of years in age. It is surmised that through experiments with Saeyuku's control over the and through that, the , Sōsaku actually gained a means of time travelling. However, this ability doesn't seem to extend to instant teleportation, making it unlikely to be used in a short-term combat situation. *'Transportation of Objects:' Sōsaku can transport objects as large as whole buildings through the space-time continuum, even if they were supposed to be destroyed. Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: Even though a former captain, Sōsaku's swordsmanship skill is only mediocre in the field, although his knowledge of different forms stretches from the yoroi tōshi that was once his zanpakutō to the traditional katana and more. In addition, Sōsaku expresses knowledge about a plethora of different styles, ranging from the more traditional Iaidō to much less-known schools such as Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. Probably the greatest testament of his skills is the fact that he was able to hold his own for a while against the legendary swordmaster Kenshin Yagami, even if it was only barelyI Am Truth. It seems that, during the events set after the aforementioned battle, Sōsaku theorized on his actual inability within the field of swordsmanship to grow in said direction, a paradox which he loves to inform his opponents of. *'Dōjigiri' (童子切, Boy Cutter); left hand on the handle, right hand on the sheath. Any incoming attack is simply smashed away with the left elbow, exposing either an open back or front. The force of the thrown elbow is added to the unsheathing movement, decimating any unprepared opponent. The origin of the name of the technique is quite a mystery, but seeing Sōsaku's background, it is certainly not a comfortable one. :Dual Katana Combat: During his newest appearances, Sōsaku showed considerable skill in wielding two katana at once, a battle style considered as extremely difficult due the size of the swords conflicting with one another and making it very likely for the user to hurt himself. It seems his general strategy is to fend off the opponent with his dominant hand, while using the other in a more supplementary way. :Kodachi Expert: Due his former zanpakutō being a yoroi tōshi, Sōsaku possesses great skill and experience in the handling of daggers and short blades alike. He is still seen utilizing the former during assassination or covert missions. Master of Manipulation: While Sōsaku mustn't avail to captain-level opponents in terms of pure skill, what really exalts himself far above them is his ingenious ability to compel any being around him into doing his bidding, most of the time without them even noticing. His knowledge of the human mind is almost terrifying, being able to correctly dictate how a certain person will respond in any situation given. Even as a child he was able to urge his peers into doing little tasks and jobs for him, despite many of them being able to best him in any kind of physical contest. Using nothing but suggestions, reverse psychology and many other mental tactics, Sōsaku can let a whole social system flow according to his will, without their being any direct traces of his influence. Unlike other masterminds predating him, Sōsaku claims not to be a "schemer", rather avoiding to make up plans and plans-within-plans. However, many actions from his past indicate that he truly is a crafty and genial planner, indicating this once again was nothing but a manipulative tactic of his. Sōsaku is greatly aware of the effect of his "mental condition" of others, and may often overact his so-called insanity to mislead the intended target. The very cadence he puts behind words leave subtle room for multiple interpretations, often causing people to do things they were set on preventing while still leaving Sōsaku out of any direct area of involvement. He is known to utilize weak points that most people didn't even know they had, and will never back down due to a moral or social barrier conflicting with his methods. *'Master Deceiver:' In his manipulative ways Sōsaku often finds the need to deceive and beguile people, tempting them to betray everything they once stood for with empty promises and wording them in such a way it never really can be proven he was lying at all. Sōsaku can tell lies with a straight face and no outward physical reactions, making it most of the time impossible to know whether he's speaking the truth or not. Even so, he will never admit he had been lying or any such thing, not even when confronted with clear evidence, only acknowledging rarely that he slightly "twisted the truth". *'Master Impersonator:' On many occasions, Sōsaku has shown to suddenly change his persona completely, acting very emotional, cold or in so much other ways fitting to the situation he's in. Using his enormous intelligence, he can precisely recall every bit of information he has ever gathered around a specific person and put it to his own use, or otherwise just make up facts that are so generally worded that the deceived will usually complete it by himself. When combined with his secretive shapeshifting Kidō, Sōsaku has the ability to imitate almost any person he wants to near perfectly. *'Master Orator and Philosopher:' Using careful emphasis on certain vowels and an ambiguous formation of his sentences, Sōsaku can sway even the most resilient of adversaries to his side, even if they initially took up a radically opposing position to his wordings. Sōsaku is masterful at denouncing his philosophies in such manners they are able to convince even opposing parties with internal conflicts and different points of view to simultaneously join his course, leaving in subtle blank spots they can fill in with their own ideology. By subtly lacing his words with spiritual power, his teachings automatically gain some sort of compelling lull to them, soothing the behavior of any listener and making them less likely to contradict his statements. It is said that Sōsaku has never lost an argument, unless he was planning on doing so right from the start. Unusual Genius: Sōsaku's most defining, outstanding and often-noted trait is his rather unorthodox way of thinking. While many have called him outright mad or insane, Sōsaku likes to view it rather as a more "creative" way of thinking, a way including much more possibilities and isn't bound to the "stupidly restraining rules and laws". Apparently, his mindset is so chaotic and irregular that even the most powerful of mind-reading powers exposed to his thoughts always backfire, simply because their users cannot grasp Sōsaku's way of thinkingI Am Truth. Despite this, he still possesses an almost unrivaled intelligence, even as a young age regarded as a "genius among geniuses". There hasn't been a single time when he has been outsmarted, simply because his plans include such radical back-ups no one would expect or even recognize them. There is no recognizable pattern or reason behind some of his acts, any validation given by Sōsaku himself being "fun", leading to even people standing on his own side questioning his actions. While opponents may find it hard - if not impossible - to gain a clear view on the course of his actions, Sōsaku has no problems turning this the other way around, often cornering his enemies in such distressful situations they have no option but giving in to his demands. He has shown knowledge of facts and powers normally limited to a certain organization or circle of trust, such as secret techniques, the ancient history of Soul Society and desperately-concealed scandals including and officials. *'Master Strategist and Tactician:' The almost uncanny ability to effortlessly set a whole battlefield to his will has been a bane to Sōsaku's opponents since long time. During battle, he has shown to be able to correctly determine battle styles, personality traits and even long-forgotten injuries of an opponent out of simple mannerisms. He can easily gauge the strength and speeds of attacks and abilities, analyzing them in a split second before turning them against their caster. Not only does he observe his enemies, but also his allies, so he can use exploit their weak or strong points at any time or get rid of them when they outlive their usefulness. When fighting in a certain environment, he takes even the slightest of details into accord, as they can possibly be an aid in the ongoing battle. *'Master Inventor and Scientist:' Sōsaku has produced several products and devices on his account to utilize for his evil purposes, or simply because he was bored. The effectiveness of these, however, is greatly limited by the simple fact that not one of them has managed to captivate Sōsaku long enough to actually complete a invention. Besides these, he has shown mighty understanding of spiritual composure and anatomy, although not in an in-battle manner. He can develop potent drugs, poisons, antidotes and many other potions with few materials and simple Kidō spells. Shiranui-ryū Shiranui-ryū (不知火流, Form of the Blazing Sea); Sōsaku is no remarkable swordsman. Sure, he may be able to hold his own against an advanced assault for a couple minutes, but he would be bleeding dry at any swordmaster's feet should he compete in a serious duel of any sort. Sōsaku knows this, and has devised various ways of circumventing the close combat, otherwise he would not have escaped his encounter with Yagami Kenshin. But the tongue is not always quicker than the blade. Hence followed Shiranui-ryū's development. The cruel reality of swordfighting is, once the blade is cutting the flesh, all skill, training or natural talent the target has honed become pretty useless. This desecration of the art of the sword was quickly realized by Sōsaku, and he set his sights on elaborating on this as much as possible. The sword art itself has a very simple principle; kill, and kill fast. The incredible level of speed Sōsaku attained throughout his years is what made this sword art effective. Pushing his shunpo capabilities to the very edge, a frame of slow motion would show that pieces of skin are ripped off as he moves, winds scourging Sōsaku's bare flesh and bone before his infected body repairs itself. The combination of skill and sadomasochism this technique requires makes it almost inherently a technique exclusive to Sōsaku. Still, one big problem arose when the technique was developed. It was beyond Sōsaku's strength to swing his sword when moving at such elevated speed. Thus, a way of killing had to be thought off. Luckily, this wasn't all that hard. Since Sōsaku's body yields a near infinite, parasitical power source, he could just prey on that doing the work. And indeed, the slaughterous nature of Hua combined with a controlled explosive outburst of it, was enough to remedy that issue. In the field, Shiranui-ryū has proven to be more than effective. It can deliver multiple cuts faster then the eye can follow, ranging from two slicing through the entire chest from a whopping 47 cutting through something considered near unscratchable. The sheer speeds which Sōsaku attains tear up the ground below him and leave behind sonic booms, leaving in his wake only torn and withering areas. However, another issue also arose when the style was put to the test, namely that most swords could not withstand the pressure that was exerted when using the style. Even Sōsaku's custom-made swords broke after 47 hits. Henceforth, Sōsaku developed a method of using ethereal swords that could not break and had increased cutting power, enhancing the killing potential of the technique even more. *'Shūkōkasō' (集光火葬, Condensed Cremation); Adapting what would be his favorite spell, , Sōsaku condensed the raw power of the giant katana into a manageable, normal-sized variant, allowing him to summon two and have them act as normal blades. Because they are essentially Hua summoned as a ridiculously powerful entity and then condensed hundreds of times, the blades possess a cutting edge no material blade can attain, rendering them quite unblockable unless a specialized technique is involved. Due the nature of the spell they originate from, the blades have the tendency to continually burn Sōsaku's skin away, although his nanobots and worship of pain render this a trivial fact. Kidō Specialization Kidō is the gathering, aligning and transforming of spiritual energy. When the experimental Hua took over Sōsaku, it would theoretically become impossible for him to further cast any spells at all, since he would lack the fundamental resource itself: reiryoku. Yet - in a paradoxical manner - the very nature of this acquisition allows Sōsaku to do so after all, due the simple fact Hau absorbs any characteristic that could bolster it, and grows stronger with every hindrance it comes across. It could even be said that Sōsaku's kidō has become stronger, not in a way related to his own capacity, but rather through Hua ruling out that much drawbacks of magical usage. Nonverbal Casting: Sōsaku is a master of nonverbal casting, barely using incantations or even names at all. Even the need for movement is often omitted, as Without even a single gesture, he was able to create a barrier capable of withstanding a total of five spells fired simultaneouslyYin and Yang. In the rare event he does utter merely the name of the spell, its power is vastly increasedSpear and Shield. Without a single preparation, he could call on a healing spell which could heal his bruised and injured arm in a mere minute. He can even control the form and pathway of a spell post-casting through hand movements, allowing him to reshape spells for new purposes and applications. Spell Customization (黒棺, Black Coffin): This particular spell is one of Sōsaku's personal favorites, mostly because of its extremely cruel way of working. Despite its high difficulty and probable chance of backfiring, Sōsaku has developed a nigh unstained grasp on the spell and it's workings, allowing him to cast at much lower energy foster and even devise various variations and new applications. Through flashbacks, it was revealed that each variation was attained through countless experiments on various subordinates and - when those ran out - Sōsaku himself. *'Kurokagi' (黒鍵, Black Lock/Key); Adapting the gravitational aspect of the spell, Sōsaku creates a powerful torrent within the palm of his hand, which will drawn in the nearest objects and crush them until their existence is no longer noticeable. This is a perfect way of defending one's self against attacks, and can even draw in opponents who are unobservant enough to stand close when the kidō is activated. Still, it is difficult for Sōsaku to maintain the spell for more than a couple seconds, for else he would be sucked in as well. *'Kurosora' (黒空, Black Skies); Adapting the focus of the spell to total devastation and mass murder, Sōsaku reshaped the box-like shape into an overhanging roof, vast enough to cover almost a square mile of battlefield. On activation, this black roof will exert an immense gravitational pressure on the area down below, effectively excavating the entire affected area. *'Kuroyō' (黒世, Black World); Summoning a fully powered Kurohitsugi, Sōsaku condenses each and every of the hundred of boxes into one pulsating sphere, with a gravitational pull so massive it actually rips chunks of what seems the space-time continuum itself away from its surroundings. When condensation reaches a certain point, the whole thing radiates outward as a black veil covering every single direction - harboring a destructive power so immense all sound is silenced and all light fades to gray, a state of perfect serenity with in it's wake a true apocalypse. Of course, to use this power would also spell Sōsaku's own finale. (一刀火葬, Single Blade Cremation): Ittō Kasō always has been one of Sōsaku's favorite Kidō, using it even before he had the ability to regenerate his limbs. The discovery of his Reiryoku-Reishi converting nanobots allowed Sōsaku to actually forgo the one drawback of the spell and start creating various variations and alterations. The sheer power behind these variations make the original almost fade to black. *'Ittō Nōsotchū' (一刀脳卒中, Single Blade Stroke): Transforming the angle of the original spell, Ittō Nōsotchū allows for a horizontal creation of the infamous Ittō Kasō blade. In turn, this allows the user to swing the katana-tipped spell, allowing for mass-destruction on a much wider scale. However, as the name implies, only one stroke can be performed, as the taxation is simply too great to keep the spell up. Naturally, this burns up Sōsaku's arm entirely, a process which he can reverse through the use of his nanobots. :Kurokasō (黒火葬, Black Cremenation) Combining two of the deadliest kidō spells - and Sōsaku's personal favorites - into one monstrosity, Kurokasō is the piece de resistance of Sōsaku's mad genius. Although the actual spell goes yet unseen, a good part of the Dangai world is permanently inaccessible because of the process through which it was developed. Hohō Mastery : While most shinigami only practice Shunpo, Sōsaku has throughout the ages focused on every possible aspect of the art of Hohō. Hohō literally translates into "agility", which requires a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, endurance and stamina to be employed as efficiently as possible. Therefore, all of Sōsaku's bodily functions are at their peak. Because his outer physique doesn't suggest anything of this, Sōsaku can make great use of this to catch opponents by surprise. *'Enhanced Balance & Coordination:' While balance may seem an unnecessary training point for shinigami, Sōsaku has greatly exploited this prejudice to give his performances unique edges. This improved factor of balance allows him to keep an unflinching position even when bombarded with a flurry of Kidō spells, aswell as keep his position while attacking an opponent from seemingly impossible angles, even hardening the reishi at his feet to a point where he could remain upside-down through the course of an entire battle. Sōsaku's strengthened coordination allows him to cast multiple Kidō spells and swordsmanship assaults simultaneously, in such rapid combinations that even the most well-trained of enemies find themselves overwhelmed. *'Enhanced Speed:' Even without using Shunpo or another related techniques, Sōsaku's speed is impressive. Not only does this apply to his running speed, but also to his attacking motions. He can make the stabbing movements with his sword conjure to a solid wall of iron, where only full-body defenses hold any chance against. Even during simple tasks such as writing a letter, Sōsaku can pull it off with an astonishing speed, where his pencil becomes nothing but an untraceable blur within his palm. *'Enhanced Reflexes:' Perhaps the item that came out most-developed out of his years of Hohō exercises, Sōsaku's reflexes have been enhanced to the border of possessing a "Sixth Sense", where the "surprise" is subtracted from every "surprise attack" aimed at him. He has shown seemingly impossible samples of point-blank range dodging and catching projectiles fired silently at his blind spot. His lightning-fast reaction speed, immense intellect and almost unbelievable swiftness form a deadly combo for nearly any opponent that dares to cross his path. He was capable of blocking an assault consisting of thousand of blade strikes without too much effort from sword legend Kenshin Yagami, a feat not many others can relate to. *'Enhanced Strength:' Although his strength is probably the least well-trained of his physical prowess, repulsing opponents far greater and forcing them in a corner with a myriad of hammering assaults has shown to be no problem for Sōsaku. Still, he was powerful enough to go toe to toe with Kenshin Yagami, a man renown with considerable strength. *'Enhanced Endurance & Stamina:' Sōsaku has shown the ability to continue battling even when garnished with various wounds and injuries, capable of rising back to his feet and even casting high-level Kidō spells after long and intense battles, far beyond a point where most Shinigami would have surrendered. Combined with his unwavering balance, he can survive intensive bombardments of various categories rather unscathed, attributing only to the charm of his influent verses. Even with both of his arms broken, Sōsaku could continue to fight, move at accelerated speeds and cast an immensely powerful spell.Truth and Falsehood Master Acrobat: Throughout his performances, Sōsaku has always portrayed an astonishing agility, weaving various acrobatic acts and stunts through his fighting rhythms that even the agile members of Onmitsukidō deem a crazy's work. He has shown to successfully outmaneuver hordes of lower-class Gotei 13 officials, always managing to position himself in an advantageous situation and precisely taking them down one by one, all the while smiling carelessly. Combined with his extraordinary mastery of Shunpo, he can scale vertical structures without problem and perform various acrobatic spins and tricks in mid-air, misguiding nearly any opponent where he will ground and leaving them unable to counter. : Although "grandmaster" is a feeble title when it comes to a such generally-mastered art as Shunpo, it is clear Sōsaku is one of the most proficient in the art of flash steps ever born, comparable to - if not surpassing - the "Goddess of Flash" , the most adept user of her generation. The flawlessness he displays when dis- and reappearing in the midst of conversations, often right behind an opponent's back, is most oftentimes an untraceable happening for the latter. Sōsaku enjoys the inability and following anger when his enemy cannot discern his motions or altering position and will not hesitate to do this in the middle of monologuing to tick the poor wretch even more off. It is also his speed that plays a vital part in Sōsaku's plots, often showing off the ability to escape "unexpected" point-blank attacks and react to them in the blink of an eye to intimidate the victim. How he acquired the required information is unknown, but Sōsaku has shown extensive knowledge of the secret rapid-movement techniques of the force, even adapting and improving some of them himself. While most other masters leave behind a hazy shimmer when flashing away, Sōsaku leaves behind no indication at all of his former existence, unless he desires otherwise. It is speculated that Sōsaku can move faster than the speed of sound, shown by the mysterious capability of moving to another location amidst talking and having his voice still resonate from the original place of departure. Sōsaku can move so fast he can create numerous afterimages who each attack the opponent in a completely unique way without actually displacing his original body. Danwaza Danwaza (弾技, Bullet Techniques); a special set of kidō developed by Sōsaku that has become his favorite fighting style once he grew accustomed to it. Combining Kidō, Hohō and Hakuda into one fighting style, a pair of Hua-constructed guns are summoned into Sōsaku's hands, resembling (though heavily modified) the Beretta 92FS used in the Human World. Sōsaku has access to an unlimited amount of bullets constructed from the same energy, who are lethal enough to harm a spiritual creature in proportion to how a normal bullet would affect a human being. Not only refers Danwaza to the technique, it also includes the fighting style within its definition. Using keen observation and statistic probability, Sōsaku's nigh-photographic memory allows him to memorize and instantly predict the most likely positions of his adversary, allowing him to fire at the enemy's location without the need of actually aiming. Danwaza can also be used in close combat, were the hazard of the bullets is enormously increased because of the reduces distance. In fact, the adversary would probably have to focus on dodging the gun fire so hard that a chance for them to counterattack is very unlikely to occur. Contrary to other similar weapons, Sōsaku's guns fire actual hua-packed bllets, instead of -like projectiles. *'Senjun' (千巡, Thousand Rounds); Pointing his guns in a certain direction, Sōsaku pulls both triggers at once, generating thousand spiritual bullets in front of him which instantly shoot forward. :Kidō-Infused Ammunition: Sōsaku can pack kidō spells into bullet-shaped rounds and fire them as he normally would. When the bullets hid an obstacle, they release the spell stored inside, subjugating the victim to its effects. The surface of the bullets can even be engraved with the spell's incantation, allow for a fully-powered version to be stored.Theomachy Former Powers & Abilities :' Kanzadatō's release command is Manifest (明らかにする, akiraka ni suru), although Sōsaku is just as well capable of releasing it in silence, to preserve an element of surprise. There are no physical changes to the zanpakutō, nor is there any change in Sōsaku's spiritual pattern, allowing the release to be bypassed completely unnoticed by an opponent. However, a very keen view could discern a minuscule change in the structure, namely the engraving of an Ouroboros around the base of the blade, within the wood of the hilt. :Shikai Special Ability: It was long believed that Sōsaku's zanpakutō was an illusion-type, capable of shifting his appearance to the perfect likening of another. However, this was later proven to be just a severely advanced form of kidō casting, once again rendering Sōsaku's soul blade's powers in the unknown. What it's core ability actually entails is still vague, due Sōsaku's lying and manipulative nature, but it is said to be able to instill "chaos" on everything around it. :*'Genshi Kyomō' (原始虚妄, Primordial Lie); Upon it's immediate release, Kanzadatō creates an "aura of chaos" within Sōsaku's spiritual range, going unnoticed by the opponent. This gives the ability to disturb any kind of "order", "pattern" or "harmony" near Sōsaku, affecting both animate and inanimate objects. Victims may experience clumsiness, troubles focusing, slight disturbances of the senses and more rapid tiredness, as the rate of the heart and breathing pattern are being messed up. This also applies to spiritual effects, such as Kidō or zanpakutō abilities, where the bonds connecting their particles may fluctuate and weaken, causing weaker abilities to even fall apart as they approach Sōsaku, and stronger ones to be reduced in effectiveness and accuracy. Non-projectile attacks seem to stagger and sometimes fail in completing their tasks, even those that normally render spiritual abilities ineffective. Objects surrounding Sōsaku may start to slightly break down the closer they stand to him and the longer they reside in his presence. This technique is a passive one, and a highly effective one too for that matter, as not even the most well-trained opponents or strongest of attacks can escape the "chaos" within the area. The passiveness of the technique generally negates a direct link to Sōsaku's zanpakutō. :**'Kashijiko Kyomō' (課し自己虚妄, Self-Imposed Lie); A technique that reverses the principles of Genshi Kyomō, where the chaotic effects are applied on Sōsaku's own body. Because he is familiar with the blade, however, this does provide slightly different effects. Kanzadatō ensures an inimitable unbalance within Sōsaku's motions and body functions, at such a rate anyone without the "chaotic mindset" of his would go crazy. These irregularities are so complex not even the most adept of movement- or mind-readers can keep up with Sōsaku's actions, giving him a valuable defense against both of the latter. The abnormal patterns of his vital organs do limit the use of this technique. Sōsaku can use this technique on a secondary basis, allowing him to still use the other powers of Kanzadatō's shikai. :*'Hitsuzen Kyomō' (必然虚妄, Inevitable Lie); Kanzadatō's blade is charmed with an incoherent spiritual flow, inducing immediate chaos on every victim it cuts except for Sōsaku himself. The chaotic effects are far stronger than during Genshi Kyomō, as a single cut to an opponent may be enough to completely render the affected limb unusable, disturbing the blood flow and nerve-brain connection within the said limb. When an object is hit, it's structure may start to topple or even completely collapse depending on it's sturdiness, or may become unreliable for utilization, turning it's effects against the user. When a spiritual attack or defense is cut by Kanzadatō, it will generally disperse into the reishi-enriched atmosphere, as the spiritual structure of bindings that connect the separate spiritrons becomes severed. Due the rather short range of Kanzadatō's blade, this technique does have a considerable drawback. :*'Suijaku Kyomō' (垂迹虚妄, Form Lie; lit. "lie of a manifested form"); The final technique within Kanzadatō's Shikai, and practically the preamble to it's Bankai. The chaotic influences of Kanzadatō's Genshi Kyomō causes the reishi particles directly surrounding the blade to mutate drastically. They are exposed to such a level of chaos that they become "solitary existences", standing apart from the rest of their surrounding dimension and negating even the focal laws of nature exposed on them. One of these is the law of conservation of energy, as the particles begin to condense infinitely while continually generating new mass and energy of their own, in a way becoming "super-spiritrons". This mutation develops in such quantities that it is no longer logical to call the fragments "energy", considering they actually develop some sort of consciousness on their own. These particles answer only to the call of their creator, Kanzadatō and by extension Sōsaku. The influence that these particles send off is truly excruciating, and more than enough to incapacitate weaker bystanders, in a similar sense to a overbearing presence of reiatsu. The particles appear as miniature suns, orbiting Sōsaku's body, but can be launched as projectiles, causing enormous explosions in the process. However, doing so eats away at Kanzadatō's shrine cord, and when the cord is fully disintegrated Sōsaku is forced to seal his sword for an unstated period. *' :' Aitashoshin Kanzadatō (空いた所信神座打倒, "god's seat is overthrown by his own empty beliefs"); Initiated through the use of Suijaku Kyomō, when the particles of "super-reishi" have condensed to a sufficient point, their initial blue glow will turn into a blinding white one as the orbs are drawn towards Kanzadatō and, upon contact, merge with it, causing the blade to glow up in a similar color. When all orbs have unified with the blade, an enormous shockwave is released from the zanpakutō, containing such a degree of chaos-inducing properties that all activities within a large perimeter are disturbed or even halted completely. The glowing light that once belonged to the orbs begins to seemingly "leak out" from Kanzadatō, spilling upon the landscape like paint and seemingly dissimulating any object within it's range, turning the surroundings into an endless white wasteland in the eyes of the opponent. When the conversion is completed, Sōsaku has shown to have taken on an attire similar to his zanpakutō's inner spirit, complete with two angel-like wings sprouting from his back. These wings are purely ornamental, and cannot be used for flight or similar purposes. Furthermore, Sōsaku wears a long white coat covering his whole body which, in combination with his whitened skin, hair and sword makes him appear as a blank being. Aitashoshin Kanzadatō's blade is something in between a katana and nōdachi, but possess no decorations or further additions. :Bankai Special Ability: Proceeding on the concept of "solitary existences" that was induced upon the spiritual particles in Suijaku Kyomō, Aitashoshin Kanzadatō has the ability to create a Formless Realm (無形道, Mūkeidō). As a "formless realm", it doesn't hold any physical presence within the cosmology it entails in and neither the beings residing in it have either shape or location, nor does the dimension itself, making it impossible for others to enter whom were not involved in the Bankai activation. Any conscious spiritual being trapped within Sōsaku's spiritual range upon the initiation of his Bankai is drawn into the realm, regardless of their amount of spiritual power or counter-efforts. Within this realm, there are four "Spheres" (球, Tama). The only way to escape the realm is to survive each one of them, this task becoming increasingly more difficult with every sphere passed. Should an opponent be able to live through all four "Spheres", Aitashoshin Kanzadatō's second Bankai is activated, which is said to contain the power of "true, primordial chaos". Sōsaku has rarely ascended to Bankai during his life, let alone actually made use of this mysterious stage. ::Physical Restriction: Something considered very uncommon for a Bankai, Aitashoshin Kanzadatō severely limits any of Sōsaku's physical attributes, to the point where an unseated officer could defeat him effortlessly where it not for the aura he emitted. Just like how speculated that had thrown away his spiritual power for physical strength during their final battle, Sōsaku exactly reverses this concept, instead throwing away all of his physical attributes for an unbelievable heightening in his spiritual energy, something qualified as his whole reishi body has to become accustomed to the mutated energy of Suijaku Kyomō. Sōsaku's body is incredibly frail in this state, to the point simple punches can break whole bones of his and put him in mortal danger. ::*'Mutated Energy:' In this state, Sōsaku's spiritual energy has been coalesced into a mutated "super-reiryoku", reflecting the "super-spiritrons" of the Suijaku Kyomō technique. Although this doesn't manifest as a visible aura like reiatsu, the presence it carries over is much, much stronger than any spiritual source to date. The sheer emanation is so overbearing it is capable burning the skin of opponents nearing to close, and it is near impossible to get a clear view on Sōsaku, one is almost compelled to avert his gaze, as if he were staring directly into the sun. Even though his physical prowess is restricted to a near zero, Sōsaku can melt away the skin of an opponent by merely touching it, as well as dissolving any other construct he nears to closely. Even though the aura is invisible, an outline of white light seems to mantle Sōsaku's body, making his appearance seem near angelic. Because the particles are self-sustaining and generate their own energy, Sōsaku has no limit on how much energy he can use, although he cannot contain a limitless amount within his own body. ::*' :' Sōsaku's reshaped spiritual energy also affects his kidō prowess, molting the spiritual particles of his spells into much sturdier constructs. His kidō attain an incredible density, denying almost any spiritual disruptor the possibility of ripping them apart. The general power, range and speed is also vastly increased, shown by the ability to penetrate a Danku barrier with the Sōren Sōkatsui spell, despite the former being able to hold up against spells ranging up to #89. Sōsaku's barriers, even when cast non-verbally, are almost impermeable, giving even the most skilled opponents a hard time fighting their way through. It seems that all spells conjured by Sōsaku are withe in coloration, regardless of their original composure. ::*' :' While it is said Sōsaku has thrown away all physical attributes for spiritual peers, he has found the ability to exceed his already-amazing speed by pushing down an immense amount of the mutated energy at the bottom of his feet. His speed is now mighty enough to create huge explosions of sound with every set-off, even cracking the air itself as he moves, resulting in enormous wind currents when he comes to a standing-still. He can dodge area-wide, high-speed attacks effortlessly, even if the said attack is launched from a connection with his body. However, his particularly frail body disallows the regular use of these speeds, as there is the probable danger that he would literally rip his own body apart with his motions. It is implied these movements are more akin to an instant form of teleportation than an actual speed enhancement. :*'Mosōhisōdama' (も想非想球, "sphere of neither perception nor non-perception"); In this sphere the formless beings have gone beyond mere perception, no longer defining particulars by their pre-set or contemplated marks. This is embodied in Mosōhisōdama's ability, which questions the truthfulness of perception and non-perception, despite it being the primary foothold for any living being. In this sphere, Sōsaku can attribute any power he wants to Aitashoshin Kanzadatō, even his opponent's own, as long as his opponent believes him. If an opponent has even the slightest bit of doubt concerning the techniques Sōsaku portrays, they will fade away and become unusable. However, the true catch lies within the fact that, should Sōsaku eventually reveal the true abilities of the sphere, and his opponent still doesn't believe him, he will be able to apply the aforementioned techniques regardless of the opinion of the opponent and their effects will persist until the end of his Bankai or the victim's death. Should the opponent realize that Sōsaku has finally spoken the truth, the technique will end and Sōsaku can either advance to the next sphere or end his Bankai. Sofia likens the technique to an absolute chaotic state of mind, where your spirit can no longer discern the barrier between truth and lies. :*'Nashikotama' (なし事球, "sphere lacking anything"); In this sphere formless beings dwell contemplating upon the thought that "there is no thing", a very subtle yet still actual form of perception. It is initiated by the revelation of the actual purpose of Aitashoshin Kanzadatō's blade form, as Sōsaku's weakened physique wouldn't allow for a definite blade strike without breaking his arm. Placing his thumbs at the base of the hilt, Sōsaku cleanly parts the sword in half, revealing it to be hollow inside. A black substance - neither liquid nor smoke - leaks out from the exposed insides as the blade dissipates, recoloring the vast white of the area into a peerless black. Whilst the previous realm questioned truth and lies, this realm questions reality and illusion. The darkness acts as a guide for any negative thoughts the victim has ever had, any desire they once felt to commit a sin. Sōsaku can bring fort manifestations of this darkness within his opponent's heart, which can be just about anything depending on the situation and the combatant. However, this realm focuses not-so-much on letting these manifestations function as warriors, instead they are summoned to generate mental damage and trauma. When they do assault, Sōsaku can chose to let them dissipate on touch as illusion or let them deal actual damage, the suspense of which can bring any opponent down to their knees - mentally, that is. By letting their own children fight against them and having the opponent cut them up, this technique is almost certain to qualify for long-persisting disorders on the opponents' part, showing Sōsaku's wickedness. :*'Mūgenshitama' (無限識球, "sphere of infinite consciousness"); In this sphere formless beings dwell meditating on their consciousness as infinitely pervasive and everlasting. The blackened ground from the previous sphere begins to burst, creating fissures around the combatants which render them on their own, small "island" of solid ground as the remaining floor is completely broken down and begins to rise, assembling itself in a giant sphere that floats hundreds of meters above the heads of Sōsaku and his opponent. When the entire dimension is broken down except for the "islands", the sphere sets itself alight with howling black flames, resembling a sun of some sorts. What powers this sphere exact entail is still unspecified. :*'Kirinākāshama' (切り無いアーカーシャ球, "sphere of boundless space"); Not Yet Revealed }} Quotes *''"I came into existence to destroy it. Isn't that depressing? The realization that we live in a world that is so depressed it wants to kill itself?"'' References Behind the Scenes